1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an illuminating tool, more particularly to an illuminating tool which has a flexible core.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional illuminating tool is shown to include a conductive barrel housing 4, a battery 7, a bulb seat 5, a bulb unit 8, a transparent sleeve 6, and a writing device. The barrel housing 4 defines an axis, and has a front end 41, a rear end 42 extending axially from the front end 41 to form an internally threaded portion 44, and a intermediate wall 43 extending axially between the front and rear ends 41, 42 to accommodate the battery 7 therein. The writing device includes a neck portion 2 inserted threadedly into the threaded portion 44, a writing nib 3 disposed within the rear end 42, and a retractable hand grip 1 exposed axially and outwardly from the rear end 42 of the barrel housing 4. The bulb seat 5 has a distal socket portion 51 relative to the front end 41 and formed with a conductive inner grip wall, and a proximate socket portion 52 formed with a conductive inner grip wall for coupling with the front end 41 of the barrel housing 4. The bulb 8 is received in the distal socket portion 51, and has a base with a ring contact in electrical contact with the inner grip wall thereof, and a tip contact that extends into the proximate socket portion 52 to engage a first terminal of the battery 7 when the bulb seat 5 is coupled to the barrel housing 4. A conductive stem 55 is disposed movably in the barrel housing 4 adjacent to the rear end 42 in such a manner that tightening action of the neck portion 2 relative to the threaded portion 44 enables the stem 55 to establish electrical connection between a second terminal of the battery 7 and the barrel housing 4. The transparent sleeve 6 has a front end fixed with a magnet 9 and a second end detachably mounted on the distal socket portion 51.
The aforesaid illuminating tool is useful in many ways, such as in picking up a fastener from a bottom of a machine body by the use of the magnet 9, for writing on a sheet of paper when the writing device is removed from the rear end 42 of the barrel housing 4, or for extending the retractable handle grip so as to enable the magnet 9 to reach a long distance. However, the light rays emitted by the bulb 8 cannot be converted to other directions that deviate from an axis of the barrel housing 4, thereby limiting the useful of the illuminating tool.